Monaco, Nov 17, 2015: The IAAF Inspection Team, which will verify the reforms programme in Russia to enable the All-Russian Athletics Federation (ARAF) to gain reacceptance for IAAF membership, has been announced.
The IAAF Inspection Team has an independent Chair, Rune Andersen, a Norwegian international anti-doping expert. Prior to joining WADA in 2002, Andersen served as head of the Department for Ethics, Sports Medicine, and Anti-Doping at the Norwegian Olympic and Paralympic Committee and Confederation of Sports (NIF) and was Member of the Monitoring Group for the Council of Europe’s Anti-Doping Convention.
Joining Andersen on the team are four IAAF Council Members: Abby Hoffman (CAN), Anna Riccardi (ITA), Frank Fredericks (NAM) and Geoff Gardner (NFI).
Abby Hoffman is a Senior Executive in the Ministry of Health of the Government of Canada and has been the co-ordinator of the IAAF Anti-doping Task Force since 2004.
Anna Riccardi is a Technical Delegate for the Rio Olympic Games and is CONI’s (Italian NOC) Head of Team Services Sport and Olympic Programme Area.
Frank Fredericks is an IOC Member, Chairman of the IAAF Athletes’ Commission and a former Chairman of the IOC Athletes’ Commission.
Geoff Gardner is President of the Oceania Athletics Association and formerly Chief Minister, Speaker and Member of the Legislative Assembly of Norfolk Island.
Independent Chair Rune Andersen commented: “I’m honoured to have been asked by Sebastian Coe to head the verification process. I have devoted my life to clean sport and it’s on behalf of the innocent athletes who are Russia’s athletics future that we begin our task to ensure that fair and honest competition is guaranteed.”
IAAF President Sebastian Coe commented: “After consultation with WADA, we will set the verification criteria. The five-person inspection team, led by a renowned anti-doping expert Rune Andersen, has an extraordinary amount of experience to ensure ARAF meets the criteria and is eligible to once again enter athletes into international competition.” —- IAAF
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